The Government is "not going to win" its part in the fight against global climate change without closer co-operation with its "essential" cities, regions and councils, its own advisers have said.

The Government has set a target of slashing the nation's net greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by 2050 - as against 1990 levels - which, if reached, would make the UK a net zero emitter.

The independent Climate Change Committee, established to advise on the subject, said city and county local authorities had an "essential part" to play, but delivering the target was dependent on better links between all levels of government.

Speaking at the International Net Zero Local Leadership Summit in Birmingham on Tuesday, committee chairman Lord Deben said: "At the moment, we are not doing any of the things we ought to do.

"We've got local government on one hand, which is largely committed to very sensible policies to reach net zero, and the Government on the other hand which has certainly got the right policies - not quite so much actual delivery - but the right policies.

"Delivery depends on the linking of those two."

Lord Deben, who was environment secretary in Conservative prime minister John Major's government in the 1990s, set out two key areas where he believed improvements were needed.

He said: "First of all, the Department of Local Government (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) should have a central body which helps local authorities, not only with resources but with information."

Lord Deben referred to the controversial Cumbria County Council decision to initially grant permission for a new coal mine - since called in by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick - as an example of what he believed was a shortcoming in current arrangements.

He said: "No wonder the Cumbrian county council gave permission for a coal mine.

"There's nothing in the planning system, there's no advice, no way in which they could have drawn the Government's views, to take into account when making that decision."

He added: "It's true right across the board, too many local authorities are having to paddle their own canoe, invent the wheel again.

"All those things which could so easily be done by central government involvement with them, helping them, passing on good practice and the like."

Lord Deben said: "Secondly, central government has got to use them (local authorities), give them the powers and the resources to deliver what only they can deliver.

"In the recent disaster over the Green (Homes) Grants for people improving their heating, making themselves less dependent on fossil fuels, the one bright spark was what was happening with the money given to local authorities, who were doing that job extremely well.

"And the Government recognised that, gave them another £500 million, they passed it on, it went there - there it was.

"But the £500 million was there because they (central Government) couldn't use it with the more direct system they had in mind.

"Local authorities can play a much bigger part in those deliveries.

"So it is information, help, resources and it is sharing.

"Above all, this battle is going to be won by co-operation between central, regional and local government right the way down to parish councils

"Everybody has got to be involved in this and we all need the resources necessary and applicable to the level of local government.

"The Climate Change Committee is absolutely clear, unless local government plays a very much bigger part in the battle which we are fighting - we are not going to win."